Light for automobile license-tags



L'E. THOMPSON AND F. A. MELTON.

LIGHTFQR A UTOMOBILE LICENSE TAGS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1919.

1,360,821, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3. Wow \so mm A, mVWM lmwu I to be of difierent tints of movable plate with stencil a bulb 4 is fitted and is against which the lower inner UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v JAMES E. THOMPSON Aim FRISTO A. MELTON, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA;

LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILE LICENSE- TAGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed November 10, 1919. Serial No. 336,850.

Automobile License-Tags, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lights for illuminating license tags on automobiles, etc., and consists of a simple and eflicient device of this nature comprising a reflecting casing having a reters through which a colored light is adapted to be reflected, different colored lights being used as required under different State laws.

ur invention comprises various other details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and then specifically dened in the appended claim Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which:

Figure l is an elevation of a double reflecting light for license tags.

ig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22' of Fi 1..

fig. 3 is a- Fi 1, and

ig. 4 is a front elevation of a single reflectin device part being broken away to better illustrate features of the invention.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by numerals: v

1 designates a casing which is for a double reflecting device having two compartments of similar construction. The rear walls of the reflector are flaring, as shown in Figs. 2 and-3, and '3. designates a socket in which adapted to contact with the terminals to which the electric wires 5 are fastened. Said bulb is adapted glass to obtain dif- A frame member is sectional view on line 3-3 of ferent colored lights.

provided with a marginal flange 6 bearing against the marginal portion of the casing 1, and provided with a right angled portion 7 face of the removable sliding plate 9 has a bearing.

A leaf spring 10 is fastened to the inner numerals and letmeans of screws 17 so that the surface of the reflector, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and is adapted to bear against the inner face of the slide to hold the same against the flange at the upper end of the casing. Said sliding plate 9 has preferably raised letters and figures 12, the marginal edges of which are outlined by perforations 13 through which the light is adapted to reflect at night, the face of the numerals and letters being coated with any suitable color of paint, whereby they may be easily discerned in the daytime without illumination.

A bowed spring rod 14 is fastened at its ends to the lugs 15 at the ends of the right angled portion 7 of the frame 19 and its inner-bowed part is adapted to bear frictionally against the face of the plate 9 near its lower end to hold the same securely against the angled portion 7, the rod cooperating with the spring 10 for that purpose.

A lug 16, integral with one end of the over the end of the casing and held by plate will not accidentally loosen from the casing, but at the end of the year, when the life of the tag is ended, the plate may be removed and a new one inserted and secured in position.

In Fig. 4 of the a single reflector 18 which is identical with the one before described and which may be used where a single license tag only is required.

By the provision of an illuminated automobile license tag made in accordance with our invention, it will be noted that a simple and eflicient device is provided whereby the outlines of the figures and letters are illuminated by reflection of light through stencil perforations, making it possible to discern the number or letter at a distance, the color of same being varied according to the tint ofthe globe used upon the lamp.

What we claim to be new is:

A device for illuminating automobile license tags, comprising a casing having inclined reflector walls, a frame member provided with a marginal flange, bearing against the marginal portion of said casing,

and with a right angled portion, a sliding plate bearing against said right angled portion, lugs laterally carried by said right angled portion, and a bowed rod, of sprlng ma- ,terial, secured at its ends to said lugs and having its bowed central portion frictionally drawings we have shown bearing against one edge of the face of said securing said plate against accidental displate, a sliding bearing for the opposite placement. edge of said plate, said plate being provided In testimony whereof We hereunto afiix 10 with a lateral angled projection normally our signatures.

5 bearing against one end of said casing, and

fastening means passing through said pro- JAMES E. THOMPSON. jec-tion and into said end of the casing for FRISTO A. MELTON. 

